Control and operating mechanism for centrifugal machines



Nov. H, 1941. O o. w. JOHNSON O 2,261,936

CONTROL AND OPERATING MECHANISM FOR GENTRIFUGAL MACHINES Filed July 12,1937 4 Shee ts-Sheet l INVENTOR OSCAR w. JOHNSON ATTO Nov. 11, 1941. wJOHNSON $2,261,936

CONTROL AND OPERATING MECHANISM FOR CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES Filed July 12,1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-2 l4 INVENTOR OSCAR W. JOHNSON BY ATI' Nov.11, 1941. o. w. JOHNSON CONTROL AND OPERATING MECHANISM FOR CENTRIFUGALMACHINES Filed July 12, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR BQSCAR W. JOHNSONA?TOR NE% Nov. 11, 1941. o. w. JOHNSON 2,261,935

CONTROL AND OPERATING MECHANISM FOR CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES Filed July 12,1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR 9 OSCAR W. JOHNSON Patented Nov. 11, 1941CONTROL AND OPERATING MECHANISM FOR CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES Oscar W.Johnson, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to The American Laundry MachineryCompany, Norwood, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 12, 1937,Serial No. 153,131

16 Claims.

This invention relates to control and operating mechanism for rotatingbodies, such as extractors, including means for automatically unlatchingand opening a safety cover for the extractor.

An object of the invention is to provide improved mechanism forcontrolling the operation of rotating bodies, such as extractors, bymeans of which energy is stored during the setting of a braking meanswhich is operative to unlatch a safety cover for the rotating body whenit comes to rest.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved mechanism forcontrolling the oper-' ation of a rotating body, such as an extractorprovided with a safety cover, so that when a timer mechanism is set fora predetermined extraction period and the safety cover is moved toclosed position, power means are initiated to operate theextractor, andat the end of the extraction period means become effective to disconnectthe power means and set the brake, whereupon, when the rotating bodycomes to rest, energy stored during the setting of the brake releasesthe safety cover.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved cover forrotating bodies, such as extractors, including means for maintaining thecover in latched position during the rotation of the body, and means forautomatically unlatching th cover and moving it to open position whenthe rotating body comes to rest.

Further objects of the invention are in part obvious and in part willappear more in detail as the description proceeds.

In the drawings, which represent one suitable embodiment of theinvention, Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view of an extractor with partsbroken away to show the brake operating mechanism, the cover of theextractor being shown in open position and the controlling mechanism inthe position it occupies when the extractor is idle.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the cover in closed positionand the operating mechanism in the position it occupies when the ex-Fig. 5 is a detail elevation on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail view of a portion of the operatingmechanism, showing its position at the end of the extracting cycle.

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the upper portion of the extractor,showing the position of the cover and associated mechanism when thecover is closed, a portion of the casing being broken away to show thelatching arrangement.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. '7 showing the position of the coverand associated mechanism during the first stage of the openingmovement.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the position of the cover andassociated mechanism when the cover is open. 7

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit for the controland operating mechanism.

While the invention is capable of application to any form of apparatusprovided with a rotatable member brought to rest by a braking operation,it has more particular application to those machines in which therotatable member is in the form of a container provided with a movablecover, such as a centrifugal extractor or other machine in which work isenclosed in a rotatable member. Thedrawings illustrate a centrifugalextractor of the general form shown in Letters .Patent No. 1,949,278,granted February 27, 1934,

to George W. Johnson for Combined pressure and centrifugal extractors,to which reference may be had if desirable ornecessary.

So far as description is necessary for the purpose of this applicationthe extractor illustrated comprises a stationary frame I including aplurality, three being shown, of hollow posts or pedestals 2, from theupper ends of which is suspended by rods, cables or the like (notshown), a hollow nonrotatable curb or casing 3 provided with a hingedcover 4, and in which casing rotates the usual foraminous basket 5driven in any suitable manner, such as by an electric motor 6 mounted ona lateral extension I from th curb. As is usual the motor pulley isconnected by a belt 8 to a wide pulley 9 on the basket shaft, a portionof pulley 9 being utilized for mechanical braking purposes, as willappear.

The cover 4 is mounted to turn upon a shaft ll to the opposite ends ofwhich are fixed links H, which in turn are fixed to short shafts l2journalled in bracket supports I! on the curb. This construction notonly permits the cover 4 to be swung back and forth, by hinging motion,about the axis of shaft I0, but in addition, the

cover also has a horizontal motion by the swinging movement 01 the'shaitI. about the axis of the short shatts l2, the two motions being takenadvantage of for control of the cover as will later p ar- The cover isbiased toward open position by any suitablemeans, the drawings showingfor the purpose an ordinary door closer I4, such as the standard Norton,Yates or other door closer which in the present instance operates in thereverse direction to open the cover and is therefore hereinafter calleda door opener. The casing of the door opener includes an operatingmechanism (not shown), always tending to turn the door opener shaft ISin the counterclockwise direction, Fig. 7, said shaft having attachedtheretoanarm l6 connectedbyalink tothe cover 4.

The door opener shaft l5 also has fixed to turn therewith a short arm |6connected by a link I! to ab. rod 26 slidable vertically in guides 2| onthe cur Shaft I6 also has fixed to turn therewith a member 22 (Fig. 7)of generally L-shaped form, having an upper arm .23 adapted to form astop for the cover when'it is in open position, a depending projection24 adapted to engage a seat on the curb, and a second arm 25 connectedby a link 26 to a member 21 slidable in a guide 28 on the curb andprovided with a hook-shaped latching end 23 adapted for cooperation witha hook shaped latch 36 on a latch lever 3| pivoted on the curb. Thecover also carries on its under surface, where it is inaccessible, andon its edge opposite to its hinge, a pivoted latch 32 normally biasedoutwardly or to latching position by a compression spring 33, said latchbeing adapted to engage beneath the curb wall for latching the coverdown, as will more fully appear.

While any suitable devices may be used for stopping the rotating memberor basket, I show ior the purpose an ordinary hand brake adapted toengage the braking portion of pulley 9, as before stated. The band brakeincludes the usual flexible metal braking member 34 provided withsuitable brake lining material, one of the ends of said band beingconnected to a controlling device and the other end being associatedwith a device to be controlled now to be described. It will be amumedthat the rotating member or basket, when operating rotates in thedirection of the arrow A, Fig. 3. One end of the brake band is connectedby a link 35 to one arm of a pivoted bellcrank lever 36, the other armof which is slotted for connectio o the pin of a clevis 31 on one end ofa rod 36 passing through an opening in a stationary guide 33, beyondwhich it is provided with a collar 46 forming a seat for one end of aspring 4|, the other end of which engages the guide 39. The free end ofrod 36 is connected by a pivoted bellcrank lever 42 to a rod 43 slidingvertically in guides on the curb and' provided with an abutment collar44 having a beveled under portion 45 and adapted to cooperate with thehooked latching arm of a lever 46.

The opposite end of the brake band is connected to a rod 41 sliding inan opening in a fixed guide 48 beyond which is a compression spring 49and a collar 56 fixed to the rod. The rod also carries a beveledabutment collar 5| adapted for by-pass cooperation with a spring pressedcatch lever 52 on one arm of a bellcrank lever 53, the other arm ofwhich is connected to a rod 54 slidable in a stationary guide 55 andprovided'with a fixed collar 66 and compression spring 51, beyond whichsaid rod is connected by a pivoted bellcrank lever 66 to a rod 66slidable through an opening in an arm oi lever 3|, below which it isprovided with a fixed collar 60.

Control of and by the cover and brake mechanism in the particular formshown for illustration, involves the use of an electromagnet or solenoid6|, the 'core 62 of which is connected to a rod 63 slidable verticallyin guides on the curb and'provided with three fixed collars 64, 65, 66.Above collar 64 and below a stationary guide onthe curb is a compressionspring 61. Collar 65 cooperates with a compression spring 66 below anarm of lever 3|. erates with a compression spring 66 below an arm oflever 46.-

The electric control system is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 10.The motor is con-' nected through a switch 16 to the lead wires Li, Laand In. In a circuit H with two of said leads are included the coil ofthe solenoid 6| and also timing mechanism conventionally illustrated at12. This timing mechanism may be of any suitable form, including aswitch 13 in the circuit 1| adapted to be closed by operation of amanually operated setting device -l4, which may be turned to set thetimer for any desired period as well as to close switch I3 and energizethe timer motor 15, which through mechanical connections l6 restores thesetting mechanism to original position after the period for which thetimer is set and automatically opens switch 13.

The control also includes a switch 'Il in a parallel circuit 16 througha coil 13 adapted to operate the switch I0. Switch l'l may be of anysuitable form, but it is biased to move in the switch closing direction,and is shown as provided with a pivoted angle shaped .operating arm Ilaprovided, with rolls 11b and He, and which arm controls switchoperation, as will appear.

The operation is as follows:

Let us assume that the extractor is idle, with the cover open and withthe basket filled with -a load ready to be extracted. The cover restsagainst the stop arm 23, as shown in Fig. 9,

and is held in that position by the biasing tendency of the door openerl4. The motor circuit is open at switch '16. The brake is released. Coil6| is deenergized. Member 21 is in its lowermost position, as shown inFig. 1, but the latch lever 3| is not in engagement therewith. Rod 43 isin its lowermost position as also shown in Fig. 1, but the latch lever46 is not in engagement with the abutment collar 44. Spring 4| iscompressed by the effect of collar 40. The braking parts, including band34 .have been moved in the counterclockwise direction (Fig. 3) aroundthe basket shaft so far as they will go under the influence of thecompression spring shown in Fig. 3.

Collar 66 coopof rod 63. First, spring 81 is compressed, storing powerfor later downward movement or said rod. Second; latch lever 3| is movedclockwise in Fig. 1 so that the hooks 30, 29 are engaged and member 21is latched down, thereby holding member 23 in the position shown inFigs. '7 and 9, with the links H depending directly beneath the axis ofthe shaft l2. Third, lever 46 is moved into latching engagement with theabutment collar 44, preventing expansion of spring ll such as mightproduce brake application, and thereby holding the brake released.Collar 60 lies just beneath an arm of lever 31 but the spring 51 is,fully expanded.

The next operation is to manually close the cover, the operator pullingit down with simple swinging movement about the axis of shaft l untilthe biased latch 32 engages beneath the curb rim. This motion, ofcourse, further energizes the door opener l4, storing power for latercover opening movement. Also, the link I9 is pulled up, elevating rod20, which moves past roll l'lc from the position shown in Fig. 1 to thatshown in Fig. 2, permitting switch 11 to close, thereby energizing coil19 which in turn closes switch 10 to the electric motor, and therotatable member or basket begins to turn. Switch Tl does not closeuntil the rod 20 passes roll "c at which time the cover is in closedposition.

The extracting operation proceeds, with the parts in the positions justdescribed, until ultimately, after the expiration of the selectedperiod, the timer 12 automatically opens switch 13, thereby deenergizingcoil 6|. The results are as follows:

Rod 63 suddenly moves downward under the influence of compression spring61. Latch lever 3| remains in its then position. Latch lever 46 istilted to unlatched position, out of latching relation with abutment 44.Thereupon brake actuating spring 4| expands, and through lever 36applies tension to the brake and causes brake application. At the sametime, the upper end of rod 43 engages roll 11b and opens switch T1,thereby deenergizing coil 19 so that the motor switch 10, which isbiased toward open position, opens, cutting off current to the motor.

Application of the brake, by the effect of spring 4| not only appliesthe brake but moves the brake band clockwise in Fig. 3 around the axisof rotation of the basket to such extent as is permitted by thenecessity for compression of spring 49, the clockwise motion of thebrake band being amplified by the pull or drag of the pulley 9 upon thebrake band. This motion is sufficient to allow the abutment collar 51 tomove past the latch lever 52, from the position shown in Fig. 3 to thatshown in Fig. 4. Now there is power stored in spring 49 tending toreturn the brake parts to their original position. The braking operationproceeds with application of braking friction to the pulley 9 untilfinally the rotating member or basket comes to rest.

.Thereupon the tendency of the rotating 'pulley 9 to move the brake bandclockwise ceases, and the brake band naturally reacts against thattendency, in addition to which the spring 49 has an opportunity toexpand and more positively turn the brake band in the counterclockwisedirection, Fig. 3. During this motion abutment 5| engages the trip lever52 and turns the bellcrank lever 53, pulling on rod 55, compressingspring 51 and also elevating rod 59, Fig. 1, the collar 60 of whichraises the arm of latch lever 3| and turns it to unlatched position,releasing the member 21.

The cover is now latched only by the latch 32, which prevents its front.edge from rising. Nevertheless it is under the biasing influence of thedoor opener l4 through arm l6 and link I], and the efiect of said dooropener is to horizontally move the door from the position shown in Fig.'7 to that shown in Fig. 8, by producing swinging motion of the links H.Finally, when the latch 32 moves beyond the edge of the curb the coveris entirely released and the door opener moves it to open position,shown in Fig. 6. Opening movement of the door causes downward motion ofrod l9, which moves to the position shown in Fig. l, passing downalongside of the switch 11 and engaging the upper end of rod 43,depressing said rod and moving the brake band fully to releasedposition, at the same time compressing spring 4|. This brings all of theparts back to their original positions at the beginning of the cycle,and the operations may then be repeated.

Of course. operation of the brake band by expansion of spring 49 movesthe abutment 5| sufiiciently and said abutment swings bellcrank lever 53far enough so that abutment 5| passes the latch lever 52, finallyreaching the position shown in Fig. 3. Also, as the door opens itengages the upper stop arm of member 23, restoring that member and linksII to their original position as shown in Fig. 9.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a rotatable member, acover for said member, means for starting rotation of said member andfor simultaneously locking said cover in closed position so that itremains locked during the rotation of said member, means for applying abraking action to said rotatable mem ber, and power means energized bythe rotation of said member during brake application and operativelyconnected to the cover locking means for positively releasing the samewhen the rotatable member comes to rest.

2. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a rotatable member, acover for said member, means for starting rotation of said member andfor simultaneously locking said cover in closed position so that itremains locked during the rotation of said member, power operated meansfor rotating said member, means for applying a braking action to saidrotatable member and for disconnecting the power operated means, meansactuated by the rotation of said member during brake application andoperatively connected to the. cover locking means for positivelyreleasing the same when the rotatable member comes to rest, andautomatic means for opening said cover when the locking' means isreleased.

3. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a rotatable member,braking means for said rotatable member, a cover for said member come torest.

4. An apparatus of the class described comprising a rotatable member,,acover for said member movable to open an "closed position, an electriccircuit including a timer-mechanism capable of being set to operativeposition to close said circuit, means responsive to the closing of saidcircuit for locking said cover when it is moved to closed position, saidtimer mechanism being provided with means for opening said circuit aftera predetermined period of time, and means responsive to the opening ofsaid circuit for releasing the cover locking means.

5. An apparatus of the class described comprising a rotatable member, acover for said member movable to open and closed position, a timermechanism capable of beingset to remain in operative position for apredetermined period of time, means responsive to the setting of thetimer mechanism for locking the cover when it is moved to closedposition, power operated means for rotating said member, braking meansfor said member, means responsive to the closing of said cover forinitiating the power operated means, and means for actuating saidbraking means after the predetermined period for which the timermechanism is set, and thereafter releasing said locking means after therotating member has come to rest.

6. An apparatus of the class described comprising a rotatable member, acover for said member movable to open and closed position, a timermechanism capable of being set to remain in operative position for apredetermined period of time, means responsive to the setting of thetimer mechanism for locking said cover when it is moved to closedposition, power operated means for rotating said member, meansresponsive to the closing of said cover for initiating the poweroperated means, braking means for the movable member, means responsiveat the termination of the period for which the timer mechanism is setfor applying the brake to the movable member, and means actuated by therotation of said member duringbrake application for releasing the coverlocking means when the rotatable member comes to rest.

7. An apparatus of the class described comprising a rotatable member, acover for said member movable to open and closed position, a timermechanism capable of being set to remain in operative position for apredetermined period of time, means responsive to the setting of thetimer mechanism for locking said cover when it is moved to closedposition, power operated means for rotating said member, meansresponsive to the closing of said cover for initiating the poweroperated means, braking means for the movable member, means responsiveat the termination of the period for which the timer mechanism is setfor applying the brake to the movable member and disconnecting the poweroperated means, means actuated by the rotation of said member duringbrake application for causing release of the cover locking means, andmeans for automatically opening said cover when the rotatable meanscomes to rest.

8. An apparatus of the class described com-- prising a rotatable basket,a cover for said basket, motor means for rotating said basket, brakingmeans for said basket, an electrical circuit including a source ofelectrical energy, a timer mechanism provided with means for closingsaid circuit for a predetermined period of time, said timer mechanismbeing operative after a predemorass means responsive to the closing ofthe circuit for maintaining the brake in when the cover is closed. meansresponsive to the closmined interval for simultaneously diseonnectirgthe supply of electrical energy to said motor means and applying saidbraking means. 1

9. An apparatus of the class described comprising a casing, lower forsaid casing movable to open and closed position, a rotatable basketarranged in said casing, motor means for rotating said basket, anelectric circuit, a timer mechanism adapted to be set to close saidcircuit and being operable to open said circuit after a predeterminedperiod of, time, braking means, means responsive to the closing of saidcircuit for maintaining the cover in closed position, means responsiveto the closing of said cover for supplying electrical energy to themotor means, means responsive to the opening of the circuit after thepredetermined period for simultaneously applying the braking means anddisconnecting the supply of electrical energy to the motor means, andmeans actuated, by the rotation of said member during brake applicationto release the cover locking means when the rotatable basket comes torest.

10. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a rotatable memberhaving an opening, a cover for said opening mounted for swingingmovement about a shaft, depending hinge link means supporting said shaftto permit substantially horizontal advance movement of said cover, meansfor locking said cover closed in an advanced position, cover openingmeans associated with said cover and normally tending both to retractand also to swing. the same about said shaft to open position when saidlocking means is released, said locking means serving to hold said coverin its advance position against the action of said opening meanswhen-said member is rotating, means for applying a braking effect tosaid member, andmeans energized by the rotation of said member duringbrake application for engaging and positively releasing the coverlocking means when the rotatable member comes to rest. i

11. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a rotatable memberhaving an opening, a cover for said opening, locking means for saidcover, braking mechanism including a flexible member. associated with"said rotatable member, means for operating said mechanism to apply theflexible member to said rotatable memberto pro duce a braking effectthereon, means whereby the application of said brake mechanism to. saidrotating body is effective to. store energy in said flexible member,control means associated with said braking mechanism, means actuated bythe energy stored in said flexible member' for operating said controlmeans when the rotatable member comes to rest, and means responsive tothe operation of said control means for releasing said locking means,retracting said cover, and swinging it to open position.

12. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a rotatable memberhaving a door, locking means therefor, braking mechanism for said memberincluding a flexible brake band, operating means connected to one end ofsaid band for applying it to said rotatable member, and an energystoring-device connected to the other termined period of'time to breaksaid circuit, end of said band and in which energy is stored duringbrake application, control means for said braking mechanism, and meansactuated by said stored energy for releasing said locking means when therotatable member comes to rest.

13. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a rotatable memberhaving an opening, a cover for said opening, locking means for saidcover, braking mechanism including a flexible band associated with saidrotatable member, operating means connected to one end of said band forapplying said braking mechanism to said rotatable member, an energystoring device connected to the other. end of said band and in whichenergy is stored during brake application, control means associated withsaid braking mechanism, means actuated by said stored energy foroperating said control means when the rotatable member comes to rest,and means responsive to the operation of said control means forreleasing said locking means.

14. Apparatus of the class described comprising a rotatable member, acover for said member movable to open and closed position, locking meansfor the cover, a brake for said member, means for app ying and releasingsaid brake, a

' timer mechanism for determining operative cycles, means operativelyassociated with said cover locking means and with said timer means toposition said cover locking means in cover locking position upon settingof the timer, an electrical circuit, a solenoid in said electricalcircuit, a switch in said electrical circuit operatively associated withsaid timer, said brake application means being operatively linked tosaid solenoid, whereby, on termination of a cycle by said timer,

said solenoid actuates said brake application means so as to apply saidbrake.

15. Apparatus of the class described comprising a rotatable member, acover for said member movable to open and closed position, locking meansfor the cover, a brake for said member,

means for applying and releasing said brake,

a timer mechanism for determining operative cycles, means operativelyassociated with said cover locking means and with said timer to positionsaid cover locking means in cover locking position upon setting of thetimer, an electrical circuit, a solenoid in said electrical circuit, aswitch in said electrical circuit operatively associated with saidtimer, saidbrake application means being operatively linked to saidsolenoid, whereby, on termination of a cycle by said timer, saidsolenoid actuiates said brake application means so as to apply saidbrake to said rotating member, and means operatively associated withsaid brake and said cover release means for delaying operation of saidcover release means until after the rotatable member has come to rest.

16. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a rotatable member,power supply means for rotating said member, a cover for said membermovable to open and closed position, latch means for holding said coverin closed position, a brake for said rotatable member, means forapplying said brake, means operatively attached to said brake andabutting said latch, and actuated by the rotation of said rotatablemember during brake application for releasing said cover latch andpermitting said cover to swing to open position, a timer mechanismcapable of being set to remain in operative position for a predeterminedperiod of time, means operatively associated with said cover to preventenergization of said power operated means until said timer is set andsaid cover is closed, and means operatively associated with said timer,said brake applying means, and with said power supply means, tosimultaneously disconnect the power supply and permit application of thebraking means when said timer. reacts to the termination of saidpredetermined period.

' OSCAR W. JOHNSON.

